Desperate for victory, our politicians posture, dissemble and adopt cutthroat new techniques to win our support. Damage control, as Likud's campaign chief has noted, can come later

President says he'll do what he can do avoid third election in a row amid deadlock predictions, tells Israelis 'It is a real necessity' to cast ballots

Some 6.3 million eligible voters will have a chance to cast ballots in a repeat election seen as a referendum on the rule of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Polling stations open at 7 a.m. across country for 6.3 million eligible voters, as bitter, hard-fought repeat campaign season reaches its climax

Secular politicians warn of a theocracy, religious politicians warn of anti-Orthodox persecution, and both sides say the soul of the country is at stake

Both candidates strike a solemn note the night before elections with prayers in Jerusalem for peace and success for Israel

Netanyahu claims the pact he vows to advance after the election will guarantee Israel's security 'for generations.' But successive Israeli governments have always rejected the idea

US president, who has featured prominently in Netanyahu's campaign, says 'big' vote in Israel appears to be a toss-up

Hanan Melcer breaks up gathering, says it is a violation of campaign laws; also bans businesses from having election day discounts for voters

In get-out-the-vote address, leader of the Vizhnitz sect says those who seek to 'destroy religion' are trying to bring another Holocaust, in apparent reference to Liberman, Lapid